Every festival has it's free-spirited appeal, and, of course, love is always in the air, but Shambhala is at the forefront of what electronic music festival culture is all about. Shambhala welcomes everyone, from every walk of life, with a big warm fuzzy Farmily hug. This music festival is held annually on a private farm nestled deep in the Kootenay Mountains of Eastern British Columbia, Canada. The love among the festival goers and the creativity on display is infectious—you cannot help but want to be a part of it. People from near and far, returning veterans, electronic music artists, and newcomers alike make the long, and sometimes difficult, journey to camp at Shambs on foot, in cars, and in vans to be a part of the magic:
The healing power of the beautiful festival grounds, on the lovely Salmo river, surrounded by lush forested mountains, and filled with beautiful plants.
The free-spirited and ever-loving people. Complete strangers hugging, laughing, and connecting with each other like old friends. People expressing their truest selves, dressed in elaborate, hand-made costumes, dawned in lights and paint. Brightly colored and electric Totems are carried by many, helping friends each other in the crowd.
The attention to detail at and in between every stage, the perfection of the lasers, the gardens, trees, and decorations throughout the grounds.
The clarity, depth, range, and diversity of the music.. And of course that world-resounding, soul-cleansing BASS! Thrust upon you by six unique stages; five of them powered by PK Sound, and one showcasing Funktion-1. In our opinion, the artists get just as much enjoyment out of listening to their own music on premier audio equipment, as we do in the audience.. ;)
When you arrive at Shambhala, you arrive Home, and when you leave, you take the relationships, experiences, and memories with you, to share with the rest of the world.
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The Shambhala experience has been lovingly designed, grown, and developed by the community for over 20 years, proudly without corporate sponsorship, and it really shows. Shambhala produces phenomenal stages and artistic environments that truly reflect the heart and soul of the electronic dance music culture. The focus is on the artistic talent of the community, and on the electronic music artists on their lineup, all of whom are pushing the boundaries of the electronic music universe.
And it doesn’t stop there. Shambhala works hard to provide services to the community to foster peace and safety that we think should be standards for all music festivals.
Take the Sanctuary, a space unique to Shambhala (located right next to Medical Services and Women’s Safe Space).
“Its goal is to give people a place to go when people need support and need to get away from the festival for a little bit,” Sanctuary volunteer Michelle Thomas explained to Kusheen, who has attended the festival for many years in a row. “The festival can sometimes be really overwhelming since it's such a massive event so it's very beneficial for everyone, and all are welcome!” Caring individuals --nurses and workers who have experience in harm reduction-- staff this space and greet people with smiles. There are snacks, comfortable couches and hammocks, beds, blankets and pillows, board games, stuffed animals, water, earplugs, and electrolyte packets, all in a quiet, softly lit space and an atmosphere that is free from judgement and accusations. “Ultimately, everyone who works in Sanctuary just cares about everyone's well-being and works hard to do their best to make sure people are being safe and can return to the event outside so they can have fun!”
Shambhala takes another step in harm reduction by offering a free, no questions asked, drug and substance testing to all attendees, run by ANKORS (AIDS Network Kootenay Outreach and Support Society). This year, the ANKORS site was equipped with a new FTIR Spectrometer, providing the capability to test accurately for a much larger range of substances. ANKORS make all the findings from the festival available on their website, and when you see what was found, it makes it painstakingly clear how important it is to have them there! (Luckily, being held on private land, Shambhala has the ability to offer this service, where most other festivals cannot, due to laws on recreational drugs.)
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All the magic and love aside, Shambhala is still a music festival -- known for its lineup of the best jazzy, bassy, funky, or well-rounded electronic music artists, it's six out-of-this-world stages, and of course the copious amounts of body-rocking bass that is framed by each of them. Click on the following buttons for each stage to read Kusheen’s breakdown:
AMPhitheater
The Amp is a freeform bass head's dream come true. The feel and atmosphere of the stage is nitty-gritty, yet polished with enormous sound; this year they even upgraded to small PK Trinity rigs. The ever-changing white canvas of a stage faces a large circus-styled tent, suspended over a sandy dance floor, where you will find the party people strutting their best stuff. When the sun goes down, the stage lights up. The blank canvas becomes a whirlwind of colors and effects which are projected on the white. Being one of the only two stages open on the Thursday of Shambhala, the Amp stage promises a high octane party. Beginning in the early afternoon and raging long into the night, the Amp provides a heavyweight kick-off to the long, action packed weekend ahead. Local favorites, Skiitour have become famous for their annual party held on Thursday afternoon;, which to some Shambhala veterans, is considered the true opening ceremony. Longwalkshortdock has also become known for his Thursday night/Friday morning set, which has gained something of a cult following. Vancouver microphone aficionado, Def3 has become the unofficial Thursday MC of the AMP in recent years, but this year was given his own time slot alongside BRYX. You could find him living his best life, surfboarding over the crowd and rocking the mic. Over the course of the weekend, you will find heavy doses of various trap,“weird” and experimental bass, and even some select house music resonating from the Amphitheater. If any or all of that sounds like your cup of tea, the Amphitheater is your place to be!
The Living Room stage is a one of a kind beach party, located alongside the beautiful and refreshing Salmo River. The river is a major daytime destination for everyone looking to cool off in the mid day summer heat and recharge their batteries from the long night before. That said, the lineup for the Living Room tends to cater to those vibes, as the stage is easily heard from most every leisure spot along the river. The Living Room stage underwent major changes in 2017 for the 20th Anniversary of Shambhala, and personally, I loved them! The stage now faces the river, and the added lasers cast out beautiful scenes over the trees and opposing riverbank, at night. The area for dancing and viewing the stage has been opened up and is easier to access and navigate. The stage area is now larger and can accommodate more group members, instruments, etc. Overall, the Living Room stage has created a beautifully peaceful atmosphere with the underlying capability of bringing on heavier acts. Being the second of the only two stages open on Thursday, the Living Room is the place to be Thursday night if you want a chill dance party vibe. Some of the Living Room highlights in 2018 included Dirtwire, Mark Farina, local favorite Soohan, SaQi, Jpod, Smalltown DJs, and the return of Ooah and Beretta of the Glitch Mob; showcasing their new project, 29 Palms. The style they play has been described as Desert House, and I can tell you from experience the vibes were very mellow with a heavy bass line, and it was delicious. They played a Monday morning sunrise set from 5-7 and were immediately followed by the master, Random Rab, who was the perfect early morning maestro. Wonderful musical lineup aside, I highly recommend spending some time exploring the wooded area surrounding the stage and, like me, you might stumble upon The Rabbit Hole. The Living Room continually proves itself to be full of happy surprises and a stage to make sure to carve out some time for.
The Grove is a magical wooded oasis tucked away in the trees, featuring an art gallery, vast room to hang hammocks, a secondary stage area called the Cedar Lounge, and all the mystery you have time to search for. The Grove is the only stage to not feature PK Sound, but instead Funktion-1, and I'm here to tell you, the folks at F-1 don't mess around! Of the six stages, the bass at the Grove this year was easily the deepest with the most clarity. It was the only stage where I was essentially physically forced to put my earplugs in. Not just the bass, but the whole sound appeal was uniquely crispy and crunchy, and I mean that in the best way possible. The music seemed to simply pour out of the speakers and dance with my ear drums, like a warm embrace. I was not the most familiar with a lot of the artists on their lineup this year, but that did nothing to stop me from being stolen away by the unique experience the Grove has to offer. From the eclectic sounds of CharlesTheFirst, the crashing of our favorite Brasstracks, followed late into the night with gooey flows from Imagined Herbal Flows, and finally playing stage for one of the final sets of the weekend, the true heavy-weight, Goopsteppa. The stage design featured a peaceful cottage-like DJ booth, dripping with greenery and beautifully constructed flower ornaments, an owl body with flowers for wings, a stage area for performers and aerialists, beautiful 3D mapped projections bringing the stage to life at night, and massive speaker towers on either side, which vibrated the whole forest at will. Featuring a non smoking dance floor, a designated area for storing your totem, and among many other reasons, the Grove is likely the most unique stage experience you will find at Shambhala. It is quite the adventurers paradise, containing the largest surrounding area to explore, including a beautfully tranquil “bio-dome” area to relax with nature for a moment. each new year you may find something you had no idea was there before. As a, now, 4 year veteran of the festival, I found myself more intrigued by the Grove this year than in years past, and I look forward to spending even more time there next year.
The Pagoda stage is a site which must be seen to be believed. The 4 story blank behemoth is what you would call the “Main Stage” at Shambhala.,It is here where you will find a lot of the “big names”. I put these phrases in quotations because both are very subjective at Shambhala. One could argue every artist on the lineup is a “big name”, as the festival holds a relatively high standard for quality music, of many styles and genres. One could also argue the term Main Stage, because every stage at Shambhala could be considered the, “Main Stage” at just about any festival I've ever been. All that said, the Pagoda is immaculate and reigns supreme in the visuals department. Every square inch of the white mega-structure is 3D mapped and some of the most jaw-dropping visual effects imaginable are on display when the Pagoda is in full swing. The structure from afar is incredibly impressive, but when you get closer and realize what is really happening in front of you, it's truly mind boggling. Not only does the stage have dancers, but those dancers are inside the structure, with their shadows being cast for effect. This year the crowd reveled as Defunk's giant “Funkbot” came to life before our very eyes. Koan Sound was in full force Saturday night, making their Pagoda debut, as their glitchy, trickly sound was accompanied by beautiful, ever-changing psychedelic artwork, which seemed to melt on and off the structure. Crowd favorite and resident Space Mom, Rezz, made her long awaited return to the Pagoda, after her scheduled set last year was not possible due to the wildfire risk. Her set was easily the most attended of the weekend, packed full of eager bass heads itching for their fix. The Pagoda also produced my favorite set of the weekend, Boogie T. The Boogie monster laid down the greatest dubstep set I have ever experienced. The sound was incredible, everything was dialed in just right. From the funk-filled highs of his electric guitar solos, to the mind bending lows of the rhythmic bass lines, it was everything I could have wanted and more. The greatest moment was when the set appeared to be finished, Destructo, the next act, came out and grabbed the mic and started a, “one more song” chant, to which Boogie obliged us with his remixed, remix of Griz's “Can't Hold Me Down”, legendary! The Pagoda can always be counted on to produce the greatest visuals, vibes, and laser shows , and this year it certainly did not disappoint.
The Village stage is the ultimate bass loving, high energy, headbanger's paradise. There, you will find the biggest names in Dubstep and Drum and Bass, and they always always bring something extra special to their sets. That said, make sure to bring earplugs, because you are going to need them. PK Sound always brings the heat and jacks up the Village with their latest and greatest audible technologies. 2018 was no substitute, as the mood was in mass effect! The sound was tuned in like I've never heard, the clarity of the high end, as well as the low end, was unreal. Being that the Village is located on one of the lowest points of the festival grounds, you can always expect puddles of various sizes on the dance floor. But if you expect that to interfere with people's ability to get down and dirty, you are sorely mistaken. To some Village faithful, stomping through mud puddles in the pit is part of the program, as they rely on the waves of bass to wash them clean. High above the floor is a horse-shoe shaped cat-walk, illuminated by a neon chandelier. It's here you can gain a different perspective of the action and electrifying stage set up. The Village stage has become known as the house Excision built, where the Dubstep God recorded his highly anticipated annual set, which fueled the heavy bass community for the whole next year. However, this year was the first in many without Excision on the lineup, which opened the door for other artists to step up to the plate and fill his massive, PK powered, shoes. Artists like Snails, Dirt Monkey, and Buku. I was in attendance for all three of them on Friday night, and the energy was next level. The spirit of Excision was in full force as I entered the Village, Snails was beginning a small tribute to the man, himself. I witnessed headbanging, puddle jumping, elbow-throwing, hair flying madness the likes I'd never seen before. People going all out, but still respecting one-another, and making sure no one was getting hurt. Immediately after Snails, Dirt Monkey began his very first Shambhala set, which he prefaced with an announcement of how lucky he felt, and how Shambhala has always been a dream of his. He proceeded to slay the Village like a seasoned veteran, keeping the crowd bouncing to the riddim for 90 straight minutes. Up next, keeping the fire burning hot, was Buku, coincidentally playing his inaugural Shambhala set, as well. I don't think I've heard anyone push the speakers in the Village harder than Buku all weekend, he really brought the heavy heat. There is no crazier energy displayed in all of Shambhala than you will find within the confines of The Village, I highly recommend carving out some time to spend there, and tuning up your best bass face!
The Funkiest place on earth, the world's greatest party, my favorite place in the galaxy, there is no place, of all the places, quite like the Fractal Forest. I want to simply leave it at that, that one sentence, because there is no way, no matter how hard I try, I will be able to fully describe the wonder, the mystery, the bliss, that is the Fractal Forest. But I'm going to try, so here we go. This one special stage is much different than any other at Shambhala, in almost every way. The air breaths different, the ground is more comfortable, the smiles are brighter, the dancing is dancier, the mystery is more mysterious. From the daytime to the early morning, the funk machine doesn't stop, pumping out dance friendly bass lines that keep your feet moving and your emotions soaring. One of the main reasons the Forest is so hard to describe, is the fact it is two stages built into one. When you enter the Forest, during the day, you will find a round stage within the trees, with speakers facing 360 degrees. In the outskirts you will find spots to sit and relax, places to put up a hammock, and many other areas to explore. You will find a fun party with bouncy vibes and cool people having a good time. But when the sun goes down on Friday night, the transformation begins and the Fractal Forest comes to life. Everything you thought you knew about the Forest will begin to change with color. For this reason, some people might warn you against entering the Forest before night time, but whichever you choose, you really can't lose. The sound experience is absolutely incredible. You can physically see the countless speakers, but the sound seems to come from nowhere and everywhere, as if you are physically submerged in it, or embraced by it. You can close your eyes and have the time of your life, but then you would miss the colors. Everywhere you look, you see color. Whether it be the various Star Wars characters illuminated with 3D mapped projections, the pyramid of changing color which must be seen to be believed, or the infinite arrays of laser beams, duplicated by disco balls and other shiny objects scattered throughout the Forest. When it comes to this stage, it doesn't much matter who is control of the decks, you know you're in store for an amazing time, however, there are a couple talents who take things to the next level. For the last 3 years, the Fractal Friday lineup has been very similar. New Zealand producer, K+Lab has had the privilege of playing the sun to sleep, as the Forest comes alive for the first time. Followed by local favorites Neon Steve and then Slynk, two high energy DJ's who always keep the funk party blazing and the feet steady moving. Then, when the speakers are warmed, and the vibe is right, the King of the Forest, OPIUO, shows up to melt everyone's faces off. What OPIUO does in the Fractal Forest, year after year, is nothing short of Legendary, a true spectacle of the ages. Friday is just one day of magic provided by Rich E. Rich and the fine folks who run the Forest, but the others are equally magical. Even with 5 other amazing stages, it's incredibly hard to resist the temptation to go get lost in the Forest and frolic. The sounds, visuals, and environment of the Fractal Forest come together to create a beautifully unique experience, which, in my world, makes it the shining star in the marvelous galaxy that is Shambhala Music Festival.
Happy Shambhala <3
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